Home Electrification & Energy Efficiency

Things to Consider Before Electrifying

Electrifying your home can seem like a daunting task. Homeowners and renters in DC can begin their transition with an electrification plan that considers the following:

How much energy do I use? Begin by understanding your household's energy consumption patterns. Evaluate past utility bills and assess peak energy usage times to determine energy needs accurately.
How old is the current infrastructure in my home? Conduct a thorough inspection of your home's existing infrastructure. Check for any outdated or inefficient systems that may need upgrading to support electrification. Don't forget to consider things like your roof and upgrades to your electrical service.
What's my budget and are there any incentives or rebates that I qualify for? Developing a budget and timeline for upgrading your home can seem overwhelming. Consider material cost, labor, financing, and local/federal programs, incentives, and credits to help you round out your budget. Luckily, the DCSEU has great electric appliance and HVAC rebates that you can take advantage of when starting on your electrification journey.
Are there other resources that I can take advantage of? Always be on the lookout for trustworthy resources like Rewiring America's Personal Electrification Planner to help you make your journey that much easier.

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Home Energy Audits

Performing a home energy audit can help you prioritize upgrades with the highest potential for energy savings and comfort improvements as well as identify areas of inefficiency within your home. Working with a professional auditor can be very beneficial and comprehensive, but a do-it-yourself energy assessment can help you get started right away and prepare for a professional audit.

You can expect an auditor to be focused on identifying sources of energy waste throughout the home. This can present as air leaks, inadequate insulation, and inefficient appliances to name a few. These sources of energy waste can be all over the home in the places you least expect or don't like to think about such as your chimney, crawl spaces, basements, attics, exterior walls, etc. Auditors have a collection of tools, tactics, and tests to help them identify energy waste. Blower door tests, ambient and appliance specific carbon monoxide tests, spillage tests for the chimney, infrared inspections, and duct leak tests are some of the tools and test available to you via a professional audit.

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Home Heating & Cooling

According to the US Energy Information Administration (US EIA), more than half of the energy used in America homes is for heating and cooling. That's a lot of energy, and having an efficient electric heating and cooling plays a significant role in cutting emissions and energy conservation.

Heat pump technologies a make up some of the most efficient electric heating and cooling equipment available. Rather than creating its own heat, a heat pump pulls it from another source, like the air. It then amplifies and distributes that warmth, helping to keep your home comfortable all winter long. Come summer, a heat pump can essentially be run in reverse to remove hot air from the home, keeping you nice and cool. Understanding the differences between ducted and ductless (mini split) air source heat pump systems, compatibility with your home as is, and your home's heating and cooling needs is very important when thinking about what system to invest in. When transitioning away from fossil fuel HVAC systems, some systems utilize ductwork, some utilize radiators. You may also need a “heavy up” to increase the electrical capacity (typically from 100 amps to 200 amps) to your home through your electric service panel to accommodate the new electric equipment.

Don't forget to consider a heat pump water heater, which are very efficient and can significantly reduce water heating costs compared to conventional electric resistance heaters.

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Choosing Efficient Electric Appliances

Selecting energy-efficient electric appliances is key to further reducing energy consumption and environmental impact. Look for ENERGY STAR and other energy efficiency ratings when purchasing appliances both large and small such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, dehumidifiers, air purifiers, and dishwashers. Upgrading to an induction stove, which also has ENERGY STAR models, can also provide more precise cooking than typical electric resistance ranges and lower energy consumption and less emissions than a traditional gas range.

Lastly, don't forget to look outside the home to transition all your gas-powered lawn care equipment to electric lawn mowers, trimmers, and leaf blowers. Using the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA), an independent organization working to reduce emission and increase safety in the lawn care industry, hosts a directory of AGZA Field Tested Certified (AFTC) manufacturers.

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Rooftop Solar & Energy Storage

Integrating rooftop solar panels and energy storage systems can enhance energy independence, compliment an energy efficient home, and reduce electricity bills. You will want to consider the following when installing a new system.

The condition of your roof. Make sure to also consider factors such as roof orientation, shading, age and structural integrity.
The installer you select. Finding a trustworthy and qualified solar installer is an easy to do with EnergySage's local installer look up tool.
If you own or lease your system. Owning and leasing your system each come with there own set of pros and cons and knowing them before you install is important. When you own, own you keep the solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) your system produces and the federal tax credits, but you are responsible for the upfront and maintenance costs for the system. When you lease, your installer gets the SRECs and tax credits, but depending on your agreement, you may have low or no upfront and maintenance costs. You still can save money off your electricity bill with both options.
Battery storage solutions. Evaluate energy storage options such as lithium-ion batteries to store excess solar energy for use during peak demand or grid outages.
Regulatory considerations. Familiarize yourself with net metering policies in DC, SREC prices, interconnection agreements, and local regulations governing solar installations and energy storage systems.